Pipeline
A trifecta of newly inked tech partnerships—from Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb and Incyte—exemplify the increasingly central role that AI is playing in drug development.
After being hit by safety issues and subpar results in another trial, BioMarin’s Phase 3 test of Voxzogo for a rare skeletal disorder called hypochondroplasia showed efficacy “solidly above” what the drug has shown for achondroplasia, which causes dwarfism.
While both Beam Therapeutics and Wave Life Sciences touted notable biomarker benefits for their respective alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency assets, analysts said that Beam might have the efficacy advantage as Wave’s drug hits an efficacy “ceiling.”
Rina-S is the last candidate standing from Genmab’s $1.8 billion ProfoundBio acquisition two years ago, with the Danish drugmaker ending development of another clinical program stemming from the buyout.
Aardvark Therapeutics had previously voluntarily suspended studies of ARD-101—and a related asset called ARD-201—after detecting anomalous echocardiographic readings in healthy volunteers that could indicate reduced heart efficiency.
Of the 13 programs that the companies will advance, four will come from Hengrui Pharma and four from Bristol Myers Squibb. The remaining five assets will be jointly discovered.
Before discontinuing the asset, Ascendis Pharma was studying onvapegleukin alfa in advanced or metastatic solid tumors, demonstrating a three- to four-month overall survival advantage over historical controls.
With Siran Biotechnology under its fold, GSK will have access to a long-acting siRNA therapy that could induce weight loss while preserving lean mass, in addition to addressing other weight-related comorbidities.
For $300 million upfront, Bayer is purchasing Perfuse Therapeutics to advance an eye implant for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, marking the company’s first pharma acquisition since 2021.
While some analysts may regard Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ first quarter results as “unremarkable,” BMO Capital Markets wrote on Monday, the second half of 2026 could be big for the biotech, with the potential approval of IgAN therapy povetacicept.
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